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Health and Personal Social Service Regulation and Improvement Authority
2. Mrs. Iris Robinson (Strangford) (DUP): What the remit is of the Health and Personal Social Service Regulation and Improvement Authority; and if he will make a statement. [57302]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Shaun Woodward): The remit of the independent authority is to monitor, inspect and encourage improvement in the availability and quality of health and social services, and to regulate a wide range of services delivered by HPSS bodies and by the independent sector.
Mrs. Robinson: I thank the Minister for his response, but he will be aware that the authority has recently investigated the tragic death of Janine Murtagh at the Royal Victoria hospital. The coroner in the case wrote to the previous Health Minister to express concern about a claim by seven consultant surgeons at the RVH about obstruction in getting gravely ill patients to theatre for surgery. The authority said that this was not a factor in the Murtagh case, but will the Minister agree to a meeting with me and Mr. Murtagh to discuss Mr. Murtagh's grave concerns about the letter and the authority's response?
Mr. Woodward: First, I know that the trust has already apologised to the Murtagh family, and may I, on behalf of the Department, extend my deepest condolences to Mr. Murtagh following the tragic death of his wife? The hon. Lady knows that the coroner made those recommendations and that the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Angela E. Smith), when she was Health Minister, asked the regulation authority to conduct an independent review. The independent review published its findings last October and it found that, in this instance, there was no evidence to support the allegations made by the hon. Lady. That being said, it has been necessary to make a number of very significant changes to clinical practice at the hospital—those have happened—and the authority will monitor and report on those changes. There are also implications for the health service more widely in Northern Ireland, and I am insisting that we learn the lessons of the tragic death of Mrs. Murtagh and that we apply those lessons for the benefit of all patients in Northern Ireland. I will be more than happy to meet Mr. Murtagh, with the hon. Lady, to discuss those changes.
Unemployment
3. Ben Chapman (Wirral, South) (Lab): If he will make a statement on levels of unemployment in Northern Ireland. [57303]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Angela E. Smith):
Over the past year unemployment fell by 4,000 and now stands at 4 per
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cent., with 32,000 people unemployed, compared with the UK rate of 5 per cent. That is the lowest recorded level in Northern Ireland and we also have the highest levels of employment ever.
Ben Chapman: That is good news, but there is a particular issue about those who are classified as economically inactive. Will my hon. Friend tell me what is being done to give help and encouragement to them?
Angela E. Smith: One of the key areas that we have to address in supporting the economically inactive back into work is skills. That is why my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's announcement about the skills and science fund is so important. Despite the support from the Liberal Democrats for an education system that currently supports 24 per cent. of the working population having no qualifications—the figure is only 13 per cent. for the rest of the UK—we have to ensure that our work force are skilled. Through the skills and science fund, we will support pathways to work to get the economically inactive back into work, but also ensure that we provide additional support for young people coming out of school and those who have been out of work for some considerable time.
Lady Hermon (North Down) (UUP): Given the Government's strong support for restorative justice schemes in Northern Ireland, I am sure that the Minister will be very concerned to know that those who run and work for the very successful IMPACT restorative justice scheme in North Down are about to become unemployed through lack of funding. Will she try to prevent the increase in unemployment in my constituency by pledging support for the IMPACT scheme today?
Angela E. Smith: My hon. Friend has found a creative way to address the issue of unemployment. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has indicated that guidelines are currently being prepared on restorative justice and they will inform decisions that are being made on the issue.
Dr. Alasdair McDonnell (Belfast, South) (SDLP): I thank the Minister for her comments and welcome the relatively low levels of unemployment. However, does she agree that there are significant levels of under-employment, with well qualified people employed in jobs for relatively unqualified people or low level jobs? Secondly, there is a fairly high level—
Mr. Deputy Speaker (Sir Alan Haselhurst): Order. One question will be enough on this occasion. We are limited for time.
Angela E. Smith:
I entirely agree with my hon. Friend on that issue. As our recent manufacturing report highlighted, we must consider three requirements if we are to increase employment and grow the economy. We need to be innovative and creative, invest in research and development and ensure that we have a highly skilled work force. Only by skilling up our work force, using the skills and science fund, can we address the points that he makes. We need to attract inward
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investment in Northern Ireland to create jobs. We will create high quality jobs only if we have the skills that match.
Mr. Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury) (Con): Of those who are unemployed, 33.8 per cent. are long-term unemployed, compared with the UK average of 20.7 per cent. Those are the figures that the Secretary of State quoted in a speech to the Fabian Society in January. Equally worrying are the new deal figures, which show that as many young people in Northern Ireland are economically inactive now as when the Government came to power. Why are those figures so unfortunate and what can the Minister do about it?
Angela E. Smith: There are a number of issues. One of them is about ensuring that we have an education system and training system that addresses the challenges of the future. At present, we find that 24 per cent. of the working population have no qualifications. If young people are coming out of school with no qualifications because, at the age of 11, they were put into a system that did not allow them to reach their full potential, we do not meet the employment needs that we need to meet. The skills and science fund, the reviews of education and the changes in the curriculum will ensure that we skill our young people and get the economically inactive back to work. We are extending the pathways to work scheme, which has been very successful in England.
Mr. John McFall (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab/Co-op): Although I welcome the reduction in unemployment figures and the work that the Government are doing, the Minister will be aware that the public sector contribution to gross domestic product from Northern Ireland is the highest in the UK. What initiatives has she undertaken with the private sector to ensure that there is a more even distribution and, in an increasingly globalised world, what initiatives and talks has she undertaken with the Republic of Ireland on that issue?
Angela E. Smith: My right hon. Friend is quite right to highlight that point. Public spending, at more than 60 per cent. of the GDP a head, is nearly one third higher than the UK average. The imbalance in jobs between the public and private sectors is a problem when looking to the long-term future of the economy. We need to encourage businesses to be innovative, creative and invest in research and development. Those factors encourage investment into Northern Ireland. If we do not improve the performance of the private sector, we do not meet those challenges. There are a number of international investors—Coca Cola, Oracle and Seagate—investing in Northern Ireland and they will grow jobs to ensure that we improve the balance between the public and private sectors.
Decommissioning
4. Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield) (Con): What recent acts of weapons decommissioning have taken place; and if he will make a statement. [57304]
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr. Peter Hain):
The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning has reported that it has witnessed full
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and final decommissioning by the IRA. The IICD continues to engage with the representatives of loyalist paramilitary groups on how they can make the transition from conflict to peace.
Sir Nicholas Winterton: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will be aware that the eighth Independent Monitoring Commission report did not endorse the de Chastelain commission's findings relating to the decommissioning of the totality of IRA weaponry. When will the Government bring about the total decommissioning of IRA weapons and ammunition in a way that is transparent to all the people not only of Northern Ireland but of the United Kingdom?
Mr. Hain: The hon. Gentleman is a very respected Member of this House—[Hon. Members: "Hear, Hear."] Indeed, and I am sure that he is not questioning the integrity of the international independent decommissioning agency under General John de Chastelain, that of the other independent commissioners or that of the two clerical witnesses from the Methodist Church of Ireland and the Catholic Church. The IICD reported on 26 September that it had
"determined that the IRA had met its commitment to put all its arms beyond use in a manner called for by the legislation".
"in the absence of evidence to the contrary our 26 September assessment regarding IRA arms remains correct".
I would have thought that the hon. Gentleman would take account of that. [Interruption.]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. I appeal to the House to reduce the noise level. We must hear all the questions and answers.
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